(SitNews) Anchorage, Alaska - The Section of Health Analytics & Vital Recordswithin the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Public Health just released its 2017 Alaska Vital Statistics Annual Report.The report examines Alaska resident births, deaths, adoptions, as well as marriages and divorces between 2008 and 2017 using the most recent Alaska Vital Statistics data. These figures provide health trends for health care providers, planners, researchers and others interested in public health.

Here are some key findings from the report: In 2017, Emma and James were the top baby names. Alaskan mothers gave birth to 10,477 babies, resulting in a fertility rate of 71.4 births per 1,000 women of childbearing age, a decrease from 76.4 births per 1,000 women in 2016, mirroring a national decline. In 2017, 5,123 marriages were performed and there were 2,680 separations; both of those rates also show declines over the last decade.

During 2017, a total of 4,415 deaths occurred among Alaskan residents. The top 10 leading causes of death accounted for 71 percent of all deaths and were, in ranked order: 1) cancer; 2) heart disease; 3) unintentional injuries and poisonings, including drug overdoses; 4) chronic lower respiratory disease; 5) suicide; 6) stroke; 7) diabetes; 8) chronic liver disease and cirrhosis; 9) Alzheimer's disease; and 10) homicide. The report also highlights some additional categories of death including drug-induced deaths.

In related health news, Healthy Alaskans, a partnership between DHSS and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, recently launched a new survey aimed at determining which health issues are most important to Alaskans.

Go to HA2020.alaska.gov to take the survey and learn more. The answers to that survey will be used to update Alaska’s health improvement plan, Healthy Alaskans 2030, and help determine Alaska’s health priority goals for the next 10 years.

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